I have now been in the Philippines for a little over a month now. I am actually exited I am here and I have gotten a lot of things done here. Maybe because I am now not tied down with my US employees or an office.
Sad, that I grew into and office and realized that the office isn't the lifestyle I want the rest of my life. I have enjoyed it to an extent BUT when it came down to it I just wanted to travel. I think it just stopped me from traveling for a year and I usually travel every other month. In any case the purpose of this blog post is to discuss networking.
I am thankful that I have started this blog and have gained a lot of respect through it. Being a Filipino entrepreneur is a rarity I have realized because there isn't much online affiliate marketers that are filipino. With that said, I am glad I was reached out by a fellow blog reader to meet with and now there is a huge community in Manila, Philippines of affiliate marketers.
These are some pictures from some of the online marketers in the Philippines that are based out of Manila. We have SEO affiliate (it's Dukeo, he made my avatar), high volume email deployment, nutra advertisers, Facebook, and lead call centers. It is amazing to see that there are marketers around the world that I can connect with and discuss business in open.
Networking to me is far more important because it helps me grow and helps them grow. There is a balance of traded information whether if it is now or later. The balance of exchange usually always becomes neutral at some point or another. I have not seen information being over balanced because if one has too much information they fail without the originator of that information guiding.
I have always talked about networking, that is why I created the IANteract Dinners to help me by just providing dinner to people I want to network with. The best part about these group of Manila marketers is we have dinner twice week and discuss our work week and our day to day life.
Networking isn't only about business but a relationship. I am happy to be friends with all these new marketers in Manila. Building trust and knowing their business at a high overview is rewarding in itself.
When networking a lot of people think its a take take take routine when in fact it is an exchange, a balance. You need each other when exchanging information. If one if gone then the balance is off, since the originator is not there to help cultivate. Yes, you can research, even do trial and error but the balance is off via information and with the person itself.
I have learned a lot about even living overseas with these new set of friends. A topic that isn't business but an important topic none the less. If I didn't end up doing what I had to do I would have to just pay a hefty fine. Any case network and network with balance, don't take always exchange.
Even if you have nothing to share at first, that exchange can happen later because you will need the original information form that one person who told you anyways. Sooner than later you will want to talk to someone that has the information you been wanting but then its already too late because the bridge has been burned.
